March 16, 2024
In a press release signed by Chris Uyot, NLC Political Commission Chairperson, on Friday, the union declared its support toward the investigative actions initiated by Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections.
The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday passed a vote of no confidence on the Labour Party Chairman, Julius Abure, over allegations of corruption made against him.
In a press release signed by Chris Uyot, NLC Political Commission Chairperson, on Friday, the union declared its support toward the investigative actions initiated by Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections.
The statement read, “The presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has weighed in on the recent scandals affecting Julius Abure and has called for a forensic audit into the use of party funds. The leadership of the NLC fully supports the position of Peter Obi.
"It is unfortunate that Julius Abure does not want this to be done before going behind the back of stakeholders in the party to plan for an illegal National Convention.
“It is on this note that the leadership of the NLC passes a vote of no confidence on Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party. We demand his resignation immediately and we demand the constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive National Convention of the Labour Party.
"This cannot be hurriedly done as it is required that conventions are done at ward, Local Government and state levels before a national convention is contemplated.
“We also call on millions of Nigerians who have continued to show faith with the Labour Party not to despair or be discouraged. The overarching purpose of the Labour Party is to win political power for Nigerian workers, pensioners, farmers, market women, youths, students, and the ordinary people of our country.
"We remain committed to this purpose, and this is why we want to evolve a leadership of the Labour Party that is totally committed to the ideology of the Labour Party.”
SaharaReporters had reported how some supporters of Peter Obi, particularly on X shared some conversations about how the Labour Party national chairman, Abure, allegedly stole N3billion donated by the party’s members and loyalists for the presidential campaign during the 2023 general elections earlier this month.
These conversations were shared by a popular supporter of Peter Obi, FS Yusuf on his X verified page detailing how the Labour Party Chairman used the money allegedly donated for the party's activities to enrich himself.
The conversation had read, “Following massive influx of cash once Peter Obi came onboard, he's since acquired the following from the 3 billion naira he stole:
“1. 4-Bed Semi-Detached Duplex - House 49 Road 2, Federal Housing Authority, Guzape, Abuja. He bought this in July 2022 for NGN 180,000,000 from ENL Consortium
“You can go and verify this. I have also added the image for you. Drive there at anytime and see the place. He's also living there with a woman that is not his wife. The woman has a daughter for him. His wife is not aware."
This came amid the multi-billion-naira fraud allegations launched against Abure by the party’s suspended national treasurer, Mrs Oluchi Opara.
Opara had insisted that Abure must submit the party's finances to a forensic audit and explain the source of funds used by him to acquire properties in Nigeria and overseas between 2022 and 2023.
The treasurer, who was suspended by the party earlier this month, in her memo to the party's leadership obtained by SaharaReporters, stated that Abure must account for the "N958million raised from off-cycle elections in 2023, provide paper trails and documentary evidence of adherence to due process."